Liberty was taken off the radar in the WNBA Draft with the 11th pick in the first round.
They built up their core last year with the additions of Courtney Vandersloot, Brianna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, but they fell just short in the finals against the Aces last season and still have gaps to fill if they are to aim for their first WNBA title. A hole remains.
The first rookie with a chance to add something to the championship puzzle is Ole Missgaard’s Marquesha Davis. Liberty selected him 11th out of four picks at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Monday night. home court.
Davis is optimistic she can be a catalyst off the bench.
“I think what I’m most excited about is joining this Liberty team and learning from the veterans that are there,” Davis said. “What struck me was that they basically wanted a two-way player and I am exactly that. It’s exciting for me to know that I can do that.”
Davis averaged 14 points, 44.7 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game in his final season.
She is known for her ability to lead fast breaks, which fits well with Sabrina Ionescu and Vandersloot, and her 6-foot height and solid defense.
She shot just 23.9 percent from three.
“It’s just coming in and taking on a certain role and knowing what’s expected of you and knowing that you don’t have to be a superhero or anything,” she said. “So I think it would definitely be a lot better if we did that.”
With the No. 17 pick, the Ribs took Esmery Martinez, a 6-2 forward from Arizona who averaged 8.4 points in five college seasons at West Virginia and Arizona.
Mississippi State’s 6-5 center Jessica Carter was Liberty’s third pick (23rd overall), and the team’s final pick (35th overall) was USC forward Kaitlin Davis.
